8,646 new Covid cases in Mumbai in highest 1-day spike

Mumbai on Thursday reported 8,646 new coronavirus cases, its highest one-day rise since the outbreak of the pandemic, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said.

This took the city’s overall caseload to 4,23,360.

The death of 18 patients during the day, the highest single-day figure since the first week of December last year, took the fatality count to 11,704, it said.

On March 28, the city had reported 6,923 new COVID-19 cases, which was the highest till then. On December 5, 2020, the metropolis had reported 18 fatalities, but later witnessed a gradual decline in the number of deaths.

A total of 46,758 people were tested for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, which took Mumbai’s overall test count to 41,29,931, the civic body said.

Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar has hinted that a lockdown will be imposed in Mumbai soon and an announcement to this effect may be made on Friday.

Here are some of the highlights of the proposed lockdown:

>> Shops to open likely on alternate days
>> Use of local railway trains only for essential services
>> Religious places to be shut down completely
>> Theatres in shopping malls likely to be shut completely
>> Private offices to be asked to work only in two shifts